This week, we find ourselves hearing the news about people with great hubris – people who have sought power and manipulated either governments or elections to protect that power. These individuals, and too many like them, act with a sense that only they matter — that the world around them should be at their beck and call…
In the face of such news, it is worth it to consider the blessings of humility – hubris’ twin sibling—who is too often neglected by those in the upper echelons of leadership.
In this week’s Torah portion, Parashat Eikev, the Israelites are reminded to thank God directly after they have eaten—a practice later codified into the daily ritual of saying Birkat Ha-Mazon. In the portion, the Israelites are told to take care, “lest they forget Adonai your God and fail to keep God’s commandments, rules, and laws, which God enjoins upon you today.” They are warned to never say “’ “My own power and the might of my own hand have won this wealth for me.”
What is the purpose of identifying humility at this specific moment in the text?
The Israelites are on the cusp of entering the land of Israel. The inherent danger ahead is that they forget the reasons in which the land was given to them – they could very well enter the land and become consumed with an identity that embraces hubris.
When we act with humility, we create space for others – allowing them to exist alongside us, to partner with us and to be there for us. Humility is the very backbone of creating a healthy and vibrant community. By acknowledging that our riches come not simply from our own hands alone, we come to recognize that we are not alone in this world – that we need others as much as they need us. Humility breeds healthy communal values such as trust and partnership. Hubris generates the opposite such as fear and powerlessness.
One of the great joys of Jewish summer camp is the opportunity to say the Birkat Ha-Mazonthree times a day. After each meal, campers express thanks to God for their grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. The ritual becomes a means of recognizing the blessing of being with others. Indeed, if there was ever a place where you come to understand the power of having other people in your life, it is camp.
I’m thinking certain political leaders—who act with hubris—could benefit from doing the same…
Wishing you all a Shabbat of meaning…
